Heart's Truth or Brain's Logic?
by purrfictionist
Summary: What if Sydney and Adrian met before Palm Springs? What if they were best friends despite all the odds? What happens to the two when something occurs causing their families to hate each other even more? When Palm Springs happens, things aren't the same. Danger and betrayal lurks their every move. Before they know it, a war breaks out, one that might tear the two apart forever.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

Jared Sage paces back and forth in his office with tears running down his cheeks. How did his life get here? How did it come to this? Everything he loves, everything he ever wanted is gone, so far gone. And now, his friends, his own co-workers are hunting the last piece of love he has left.

Jared picks up the gun on his table with his shaking hands and slips the bullets into the barrel one by one. One for his wife, one for his youngest daughter, one for his eldest, one for his broken life, one for his sanity, one for his lost title and one… one for his baby, the last piece of sunshine left in his life, Sydney Sage.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! Here's chapter one! Sorry I was so late updating **** I didn't like how my first copy of chapter one turned out and I ended up retyping the chapter multiple times so that I can get everything right. It might be a little confusing but I'll try to explain it a little so that you won't be thrown off while making sure that I don't give too much of the chapter away. The story is going back and from the past to the present. The past is Sydney's memories.**

**Thank you for following my story ****Jyeissoawesome****!**

**Read on and don't forget Review!**

**1**

**Present**

"No," she whisper as she pushes herself away from the white coated men. "No, please God no!"

"They aren't going to hurt you Sydney," someone says in an oddly familiar voice. Can it be? Can it be who she thinks it is? "They're trying to help you, we're trying to save you from the bad ones my dear."

"They aren't the dangerous ones, you are! Look at yourself! Look what you're doing, this is illegal," Sydney cries.

"How dare you call us the bad ones in this Sydney? Have you seen them? Look at where your mother is! Look at where your sister is! Look at where you are," the person says in a cold voice. "They're out of control Sydney. They're more than just a threat against the human race now, they're like a nuclear bomb ready to burst and we are the only ones who can diffuse it. In fact, you are."

"What do you mean?" she whispers. "What are you talking about, what nuclear bomb? You are the one who started this where am I in this?"

The person chuckles. "You are the key Miss Sage, you hold the information of their deepest darkest secret. You hold their weakness. This shot here holds a solution that will let us see your past. All we have to do is inject into your bloodstream and attack you to some wires and we can see everything you're thinking. Technology today huh? We had our fellow colleagues invent that just for you."

Sydney's eyes widen as she takes in what the person's saying. "No," she whispers. "I won't let you!" she sobs as the syringe presses close to her pale bare arm.

"We weren't asking for your opinion Sydney," the person says, stepping into the small ray of light in her dark cell. "Do it" he orders his two men.

Sydney screams and shakes the cage in attempt to get someone's attention, someone to listen to her but there's no one here to help her. She's all alone. Before she knows it, the cold metal lining of the needle presses into her skin. A cold feeling rushes through her body and she lets out a shiver. What's happening to her? Her eyes start to grow heavy and flutter close. A strange darkness surrounds her and everything grows silent, so silent that Sydney knows that she's dead. But no, there's a light far off in the distance of the dark, barren field. A light so bright…

**Past: May 20****th**** 2008**

"She's too young Jared, she's only fifteen," Stanton said to the blonde hair man in front of her.

Sydney Sage looked down at her hands. She knew that this was too good to be true. An on field assignment? How was she even thinking that she was going to get it? Sydney's mother put her hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze as if to say "hang on." Sydney took a deep breath and looked back up at the tense scene before her.

"She may be young but she is more skilled than any other recruit you can think of Stanton. My daughter has potential, she has skill."

Sydney blushed at her father's words. That was the closes thing to a compliment he had given her in what seemed like a long time. Her elder sister Carly, who's currently stationed in Russia on her own assignment with the Zeklos was her father's heart as well as her younger sister Zoe, who mastered Shakespeare at the age of ten. Sydney was not part of his heart, she was now his pride. She was the middle child, lost between the two worlds of joy.

"She'll be working with them on a first hand basis Jared, alone. I would have felt better if Carly was here to go with her. She'll be afraid to approach them Jared, she's a child."

"I can do it ma'am," Sydney said sitting up a little bit straighter. "I won't be afraid."

Stanton looked at the young girl and then her father and sighed. What could she do? The Sages were a persistent bunch, and clearly, the middle child had inherited from her father and mother. Perhaps she'll inherit their success as well.

"Very well then Sydney, here's the file."

Sydney reached over the table and closed her hands around the warm manila file. She open it up and scanned through the papers and brochures.

"The Ivashkovs?" Jared Sage said. "Aren't they a bit risky?"

Stanton nodded. "You can say that they are on the wild side, that's I wasn't sure if Sydney is ready enough for this job."

"I can do it," Sydney said even though her voice shook with fear.

Stanton shrugged and cleared her throat, preparing herself for the long list of directions she was going to announce next.

"You will be going to St. Alders Academy where they are holding a Royal Meeting. The Ivashkov family will be there and the head of the clan, excluding the Queen herself, Nathan Ivashkov is attending. Lord Ivashkov has vital information from a Strigoi attack that happened in Russia recently."

Sydney's heart stopped beating and she felt her mother's hand fall from her shoulder. "Where in Russia ma'am?"

"We do not know Sydney. Our communication was cut off along the way. It was not a normal Strigoi attack you see, it was in the middle of a barren part in Russia and the Strigoi were smart enough to cut the communication lines while they were there. Your job is to retrieve the file and bring it back to us."

A long moment of silence filled Jared Sage's office.

"When is the flight?" Jared finally asked.

"Nine tonight, be prepared Miss Sage. You will have a few hours to yourself when you get there. I suggest that you wash up and find yourself a map. The Royal have their meetings in the most hidden places of the Academy and you might get lost on your way. We wouldn't want that now would we?"

"No ma'am." Sydney said.

Stanton stood up and mother broke out of her frozen stance. "You take care," Stanton said. "I shall be going now."

"It was nice having you over Stanton," Sydney's mother managed to say with a forced smile.

Stanton gave her a pity filled smile. "Thank you my dear. Have a nice day and good luck to you Miss Sage," and with that, the high alchemist left the three alone.

…

Sydney Sage sat alone in her guest room and eyed herself in the mirror. Her hair was tied up in a perfect bun, her lips were glossed lightly, and she wore a pearl choker, a blue button up shirt that was topped off with her khakis. She looked around herself and assessed her room. Everything was perfect and clean just like how it was when she first came. She looked at her watch on her wrist and took a deep breath. It was time to leave. Sydney had allocated about fifteen minutes to find her way around the large academy just like Stanton had suggested. Sydney grabbed her bag and stepped out the room. She quickly locked the door and leaned against the wall as she looked down at the map.

Thousands of dots scattered the map marking rooms and hallways, and corridors. At the far end of the academy was the Royal Meeting Room hidden behind the trees that marked the start of the forest. She swallowed and pushed herself away from her door_. I can do this,_ she told herself as she dragged herself down the hall. _I have to, remember Carly, and be brave like her_.

"You're failing!" a man howled.

Sydney stopped walking and turned around to find where the voice had come from.

"And you got suspended!" the man said. "Where is that head of yours? How could you do this? And after all this, you're freaking painting?"

"You don't know what you're talking about," someone hissed in a low voice.

"I'm talking about my drunkard son who won't freaking get his head together!" he hissed back. "You know what the problem is? It's these paintings that are getting in your way from your education."

"No," the boy cried. "No don't touch them!"

The door next to Sydney flew open and a huge canvas flew out and landed before her feet. Sydney gasped and walked back into the wall behind her as another canvas flew out.

"We're leaving!" the man yelled at his son. "I said get out and grab your bags!"

A tall young man stepped out with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder and met Sydney's eyes. Sydney's heart stopped beating in her chest. His eyes were so green, so beautiful yet so broken. He looked away from her and started to walk towards his paintings when an arm shot out and grabbed him from behind.

"Don't you dare touch those, I'm having the garbage man pick those up,"

"Dad please," the boy whispered.

"Begging isn't going to work Adrian. Do you know how sick I am of getting called by the headmaster just to hear that you've been drinking, failing, or smoking?"

Sydney blushed. She wasn't supposed to be hearing this. She should be walking away from the two Moroi scared like her other colleagues would but she couldn't pull herself away from them. The older Moroi reminded her of her own cold and demanding father.

"Have you ever once though how others are looking at your mom and I?" The man asked as he dragged his son down the hallway. "Come on, you're coming to that stupid meeting with me and then we'll head off home."

Sydney watched as the two disappeared amongst the numerous corridors and looked down at her watch. She had ten minutes. If she didn't leave now, she'd be late. Sydney's eyes flickered down to the paintings and felt her heart tighten. She couldn't leave them. She couldn't do that to the boy, Adrian. Sydney started to reach for them when a pale hand shot out and grabbed them. Sydney looked up and paled as she took in Adrian's green eyes. Where did he come from?

"What are you doing?" Adrian asked. "Are you trying to steal my paintings?"

"I-I was just trying to keep them safe for you so the custodian won't throw them away," Sydney mumbled.

"I can take care of my own business, I don't need you help," he hissed.

Sydney felt her hands shake with fear as his voice turned cold. What was she thinking talking to a Moroi and helping them? How could she slip up like that? The boy seemed to notice how scared she was and his face softened.

"You're human, an alchemist right?"

Sydney nodded.

"I didn't mean to-"

"Adrian!" Adrian's father called.

Adrian closed his eyes as his father called for them again. He sighed and opened his eyes. "Here," he said handing her the canvases. "Take them, my father is going to shred them anyway and thanks."

Sydney takes the canvases in her hands. "I-" she said starting to protest but he cut her off.

"Take them alchemist girl," he said.

Sydney looked down at the covered canvases and nodded. "Ok," she whispered.

"Adrian? Where are you?"

Adrian flashed her a forced grin. "I'll see you later then,"

Sydney frowned. "What do you mean? Where?"

He chuckled as he walked away from her. "I don't know, they say that the past always comes back to you. You never know, maybe I'll see you again and maybe then we can get to know each other."

…

"The current situation is much more stressful than that James," someone whispered to another.

"A ridiculous decision by those thick headed Dhampirs, thinking that they have got everything under control, look where we are now," said another.

"Miss Sage?" a voice called out.

The soft whispers and scowls dimmed down and Sydney made her way forward in the large meeting room. It had taken her quite some time to find the room, just like she thought it would, but she had managed to make it there in time. The Royals though took no notice of her and so she stood by the door, anxiously waiting for someone to summon her.

Sydney's head perked up and she met the light green eyes of a man that looked awfully familiar. Sydney paled. It was the man she had seen earlier. His light brown hair, those light green eyes that Adrian had inherited and that cold look in his face confirmed it all. It was Adrian's father.

Sydney walked over to the man and bowed. "My Lord," she said.

He gave her a smile which was somewhat forced. "My name is Nathan Ivashkov," he said. "I believe that I have something for you regarding the incident in Russia."

"Yes sir, that is what my boss said," she said.

He nodded. "Very well then, Adrian?" he called over his shoulder.

Sydney looked up at Adrian as he made his way towards the table with a file. He met her eyes and gave her one of his grins. Was he here before? Sydney reached out and took the file from Adrian.

"Thank you lord Ivashkov," she said to Nathan.

"You're welcome Miss Sage."

And with that, Sydney started to walk down the large Royal Meeting Room as fast as she could while being professional. She stepped out into the breezy, summer night and once she made sure that she was out of sight, she opened up the file and flipped through the pages to the one labeled "Deaths". Ivan Zeklos, James Hanks… Carly Sage. The file slipped out of Sydney's hands.

"No," she whispered as tears ran down her cheeks. "Please, God no!"

"Sage?" someone said in the background as she fell to the floor. Sydney's body started to break out in sobs and she felt strong arms wrap around her pulling her aside. "Hey, Alchemist girl what's wrong?"

"She's gone," Sydney cried.

Adrian stiffened and reached for the file. She felt him inhale sharply. "Oh Sage," he whispered as he tightened his grip on her. "You're ok, it's going to be ok."

…

**Present**

Sydney stirs in her sleep and feels a nice warmth surround her as she remembers the first time she met Adrian Ivashkov. It wasn't entirely a happy moment but none the less, her Adrian had been there. She can almost remember the smell of tobacco and alcohol hanging around him and truth be told, she misses those smells. She misses her Adrian.

Something sharp pierces her skin next to the wound from her previous injection. Sydney cries out in pain as a fiery hot liquid runs through her arm and tries to roll of the fire. Someone squeezes her hand and hushes her gently.

"You're doing good Sydney, show us more darling, show us more."

**So what do you think? Who's holding Sydney captive and why are they to find out about Sydney's past? What's the weakness? **

**Review! Please? I'd love your input **


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! Purrfictionist here! Thanks for all the reviews, favorites, and follows! They mean a lot and make my day. This chapter is another one of Sydney's memories but don't worry, the whole story won't be all memories. We'll be seeing the story from Adrian eventually and maybe even Jared. Read and Review please! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Richelle's awesome characters, sadly **** but I do own my plot!**

**2**

**June 5****th**** 2008**

Sydney Sage fell back on her bed and moaned. Jogging in the rain was not the best thing to do. Sydney sighed and looked around her room that she once used to share with her elder sister. The thought of Carly brought tears to her eyes and she quickly rubbed them away.

It was a little over three weeks since Carly had died. Her funeral was mainly professional. The majority of the people invited were her father's alchemist colleagues and his heads. There were tears, speeches, and flowers. On May 22nd, Carly Sage was buried in Sydney's small town cemetery. Her mother grieved for days. Sydney could hear her crying in her sleep. Sydney was good at holding her tears until she was in her room or in the bathroom. Unlike her mother who was getting better day by day, Sydney was still numb. Sydney knew that nothing will ever help her fill the hole in her heart. Her father was the complete opposite of her mother. Ever since Carly's funeral, he hadn't spoken a word. He was out late at nights and he did more work than he needed to. Sydney was starting to get worried about her father but there was little she could do. Her mother was there for her father though, or at least when he was home. She was given a month of vacation and she stayed home working on her garden or in her mechanic store. Sydney though was still working with her father. She was spending night and day with paperwork and filing. In fact, she was even assigned an assignment in New Mexico to meet some Alchemists positioned there. Her flight was leaving tonight.

A small knock broke her out of her reverie. The door creaked open and her mother walked in with an apron tied around her skinny waist. Sydney sat up in her bed and returned her mother's warm smile.

"What are you doing here all alone?" her mother asked her.

"I was just lying around," she said.

Her mother nodded and looked around her room. "I see you're remodeling,"

Sydney nodded. She was trying to get rid of all things Carly or anything that reminded her of her dead sister. "Yeah," she said. "I am."

"And what's this?" her mother said as she walked up to the painting Sydney had hung up next to her window. "Where did you get these paintings Sydney? They're so beautiful, who painted them?"

Sydney paled. She couldn't tell her mother that she had gotten them from Adrian. The thought of Adrian made her blush. Adrian had ditched his father and had helped her to her room. He stayed there by her bed side giving her tissues and water and sometimes even held her hand. Sydney doesn't remember much of what happened that night but she remembered that Adrian had stayed with her till she had slept. She didn't know when he left but when she woke up alone the next morning, there was a note by her bedside.

_Dear Alchemist Girl,_

_I'm sorry for your loss. I know how it is to lose someone you love. I had a close friend who passed away in that Strigoi attack. His name's Ivan Zeklos. Maybe you heard of him, you alchemists seem to know everybody. Time will heal us both Alchemist Girl. _

_I managed to ditch my father. I know that if I stay here any longer, he'll find me so I'm leaving. I don't have the heart to wake you up and say goodbye. I have a feeling that this won't be the last time we'll see each other. I hope it's not. Maybe next time, we can get to know each other better. And like I said before, keep the paintings. _

_I know that you're scared of us Moroi and Dhampirs, and I know that you probably will burn this note after you read it, but if you ever need anything or if you want to talk here's my number: 954-248-2245._

_If you end up seeing my father and he asks you if you saw me, you didn't. _

_Until next time,_

_Adrian Ivashkov. _

Sydney should have thrown the letter away. She should have burned the letter and the paintings but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She had kept his number having some strange feeling that she would need it in the future. And as for the paintings, she didn't have the heart to throw them away.

"I um bought them during my assignment few weeks ago," she said. "There was an artist who was selling some of his paintings at the airport."

"That's interesting, what's his name?"

Sydney looked around and tried to find something that was close to a name. Sydney found a cleaning solution sitting next to her window labeled Jet Fast and besides the window was her lamp that was made of steel.

"His name is Jet Steel," she said.

"Jet Steel," her mother murmured. "He sounds like a bad boy, is he young?"

Sydney shrugged. "I guess so,"

"Is he good looking?"

"Mom!"

Her mother chuckled and ruffled her daughter's hair. "You know I worry about you," she said. "You're so young and your father expects too much of you. He wants you to take over Carly's title. Did he tell you that?"

"I know, he did," Sydney said.

"And you're fine with that?"

"It's better than getting Zoe involved."

Her mother nodded grimly. "I know baby," she said. "Anyway, I came up to tell you that dinner's ready. You can wash up quickly and get something in your stomach before you head off to the airport."

Sydney nodded. "That sounds good."

…

Dinner was a quiet affair. Her mother made chicken, rice, and peas, a simple dish that her father called a proper dinner.

"Did you read the file Stanton gave you Sydney?"

"Yes sir,"

"So you understand your objective of your assignment?" her father asked her as he reached for more chicken.

"Yes sir, I am to go to the Alchemist meeting at New Mexico, gather the information from the Alchemists who were stationed at Russia and gather any extra information I can get on the attack."

Her father nodded and leaned in close. "Do not mess this up Sydney Katherine. I need this information. I need to know how exactly my daughter was killed."

Sydney nodded. "I know sir, I want to know to."

"I did not ask for your opinion on this Sydney,"

Sydney blushed and stopped playing with her peas.

"Jared," her mother said standing up. "That is enough. Sydney knows what she is doing and stop playing with your food dear."

Sydney blushed even more and stuffed a forkful of rice in her mouth.

"She said stop playing with your food, not stuff yourself with it. You're fat as it is," her father snapped standing up.

Zoe snickered and Sydney stopped chewing. Her mother watched her husband coldly as he walked into the kitchen and shot her youngest daughter a look.

"You're not fat at all Sydney. You eat as much as you want and as for you Zoe, you are cleaning up tonight,"

"But mom!"

"No buts," her mother said. "And hurry up Sydney. I don't mean to rush but it's getting late to dear. Ian's brother will be here any minute to pick you up."

…

"Miss Sage, I'm so glad that you can join us," Matthew Jameson said, sarcasm dripping off his words.

Sydney blushed and took the only empty see in the large oval room. "My flight was delayed sir," she said.

"Mmhm," he mumbled. "Anyway, we are greatly honored to welcome you to our meeting today and we hope that this isn't your last. You have a lot of potential Miss Sage, just like your sister Carly. We are very sorry for you loss."

Sydney nodded. "Thank you," she said.

"So today we are here to talk about the very attack that took the life of many including our young Carly Sage," Matthew said standing up. He was a tall man, quite serious for a bright man, with his golden looks and topaz like eyes. "We so far know the basics. It was a Strigoi attack and the dhampirs fought back but they were overpowered. Ivan Zeklos and an alchemist managed to escape the building but they were caught during their run. The alchemist turned out to be Carly Sage."

"But how?" someone else asked. "The Zeklos Manor in Russia is covered with Dhampirs. How can they have let the Strigoi attack their charges? It just seems, I don't know, like they planned it."

Planned it? How can they have planned it? Sydney wondered outraged as she fights back her tears. Why on Earth would they let all of their charges die just like that? Her sister, her poor sister was close to freedom, so close to getting out of the attack but she was caught at the last minute. What Sydney found interesting was that she had been running with Ivan Zeklos. Sure, it was probably just a coincidence that Ivan was Adrian's close friend but for some odd reason, it bothered her.

"They might have," Angelina Johann said as she tightened her grasp on her Styrofoam cup. "What do you think Mathew?"

"I'd like to take that as one of the many possibilities. But to prove this theory, we need to investigate even further, send in some moles to work up close with the queen and see if we can find anything from the talk at Court," Mathew said. "I'll look into see if there are any openings later today but for now, I want to clarify what Royals were there."

"Why Royals?" Angeline asked.

"Because Royal Moroi usually have a larger tendency to have openings for alchemists at court. If we narrow down the Moroi who were there in the Zeklos Manor during the attack, we can assign alchemists to work for those Moroi," Mathew explains. "On my list I have that the Zeklos, Drozdov's, Lazars, and the Ivashkovs."

"The Ivashkov's?" Sydney asked. "Which Moroi in the Ivashkov line were at the attack?"

"The details are not clear Miss Sage, all this information is gathered from what the alchemists heard from the Royals they are working with," Mathew said looking at her before his eyes slid back to his file. "Let's go over the status of the other assignments now."

After nearly two hours, the meeting was adjourned by Mathew. Sydney had been alert the entire time and took notes when she could and asked questions on behalf of the Alchemists back at Utah. Everything besides the talk of the attack went very smoothly without much conflict. Sydney stood up and grabbed her purse and jacket once everyone started to leave. She was slipping on her purse when she met Mathew's eyes. He gave her a small smile and reached out for hand.

"I know how hard this must be for you Miss Sage but the pain will go away."

"I hope so Mr. Jameson."

"I'll see you at the next meeting," he said giving her hand a squeeze before he walked out of the room.

Sydney watched him leave and followed him a minute later. She let the glass door slam behind her as she walked down the stairs of the grandiose building and into the garden that's blanketed by a nice, orange sky. A cold breeze brushed past Sydney and swept away her jacket from her hands and flew into a nearby puddle. She groaned and ran after it to find it gone. Sydney frowned. Where could it have gone? It was right there.

"Looking for this?" a familiar voice said.

Adrian? Sydney turned around on her heels and looked up at a tall handsome man holding her now wet jacket. He looked just like him, the same height, those same enchanting green eyes, the same beautifully sculpted face but his gelled hair is pitch black and he's dressed like a… biker. Adrian didn't seem like a guy who would die his hair, dress like a biker, and pull his hair back with gel. This man though looked more human than Moroi.

"Um yes," she said taking it from him. "Thank you…."

"Jet, Jet Steel," he said.

Sydney stopped breathing. "W-wait your name is Jet Steel?" she asked.

"Um yeah why?" he asked causally. "You don't believe me?"

She giggled and shook her head. "I do, it's just an inside joke kind of thing,"

"My name is an inside joke?" he asked.

"It's a long story," Sydney said shifting uncomfortably.

"I have time, do you want to go out for some dinner?" Jet asked.

Sydney took a step back shocked, flustered. "Are you asking me out?"

"Yeah, just for dinner, why don't you like food?" he asked playfully.

Sydney let out a nervous laugh. "No, I'm uh good," she said turning around so she doesn't have to melt under those green eyes of his. "I'm going to go now."

"Wait, Sydney wait!" he called after her.

Sydney stopped and turned around. "H-how do you know my name?"

He reached for the ring on his hand and pulled it off. Sydney watched in horror as the black hair washed away right in front of her eyes and turned into the brown hair she recognizes.

"Adrian?" she whispered.

He grins. "Hey there Sage."

**What did you think? I'll be adding or changing some stuff along the story for example, the attack in Russia. I thought it was kind of funny how Sydney came up with the name Jet Steel. Is it Steel or Steele? I wasn't sure. Anywho, ****please review on what you think and if I made any mistakes!**

**~Purrfictionist**


	4. Chapter 4

**Read and Review! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Richelle's characters but I do own my plot!**

**3**

**June 5****th**** 2008, 10:00 P.M**

"Here we are," Adrian said as they pulled up in front of a small, cozy looking diner situated in the middle of a desert. Adrian had been nice enough to drive them out to a diner far away from the city so that they could be Alchemist clear. "So how have you been?" he asked as Sydney stepped out of the car.

"Fine," she said.

He smirked and led her down the sidewalk to the diner's front doors. "Fine? You're a terrible liar Alchemist girl."

She blushed. _I'm not that bad_, she wanted to say as the two walked into the diner. The diner was completely full, there were barely any tables left inside where they could talk freely amongst themselves without anyone looking at them crazily. Adrian seemed to notice this and frowned as a young woman, in her early twenties, came up to them.

"Hello there," she said as she ogled at Adrian or Jet. His biker look was throwing every girl in the diner off their feet. Sydney resisted the urged to roll her eyes and looked down at her feet instead. "How may I help you?"

"We'd like a table, somewhere a little more private?' he asked.

"We have some more tables outside that are more private like, would you like me to show you them?" the waiter, Mandy asked.

"That would be nice," Adrian said and put an arm around Sydney's shoulder with a smile.

Sydney paled and immediately stepped out of his grasp. She didn't mind Adrian's company, but when it came to touching… she was still scared. That night at St. Alder's was a blur and she wasn't conscious for most part of it to pay attention to things like this. Mandy looked at Sydney like she's some kind of lunatic and started to walk through the diner towards the back doors.

"I'm sorry," Adrian said. "I forgot…"

Sydney nodded so that he wouldn't have to finish his sentence. "It's ok," she said as they followed Mindy through the nice patio where there were some small round tables arranged under the bright moon light. "Wow, this is beautiful."

Adrian nodded. "Can we take the one over there?'

"Sure thing," she said and put the menus down on the table that's the farthest from the people outside. "I'll be back with your plates and stuff. Would you like a candle or do you want to enjoy the moonlight?"

"Sage?"

"I don't think we need a candle,"

"Ok then, I'll be right back out, make yourself comfortable," she said looking at Adrian. Adrian gave her a smile and she walked off blushing red as a tomato.

Sydney shook her head and sat down in a chair. "That's not very nice," she said.

He looked at her mischievously from across the table. "What's not very nice Sage?"

"You flirting with her like that," Sydney said as she opened up her menu to the Salads.

"Why are you so concerned Alchemist girl? Are you jealous?" he asked.

Sydney sighed. "Forget I said anything."

He chuckled and looked through his menu. An odd silence filled them both and Sydney shifted uncomfortably as she looked up from her menu at Adrian. He seemed to notice her looking and gave her a small smile. How was she going to tell him about what happened during her meeting? How was she going to tell him about what the Alchemists said about the Ivashkovs?

"What's up?" he asked as he set his menu down. "I have a feeling that there's a larger reason for why you agreed to have dinner with me? Or is this actually our first date?"

Sydney smiled and shook her head blushing. "There is a larger reason and this is most definitely not a first date."

Adrian smiled back. "You sure Sage?" he asked playfully.

Sydney laughed and nodded. This was one of the many things that Sydney liked about Adrian. He always found a way to make things much brighter and happy again, even in situations like the one she was in.

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Here are your drinks, are you ready to order yet?" Mandy asked as she placed the iced water on the table.

Adrian shook his head. "Not yet," he said.

Mandy nodded disappointedly. "Ok, I'll give you some time," she said and went to go help someone else.

Adrian turned back to Sydney, waiting expectantly. Sydney played with her cup and sighed after an agonizingly long minute.

"It's about the attack in Russia," she said.

Adrian frowned and his hand on his cup tightened as he nodded her on.

"The Alchemists are saying something that I really do not think is right so once I'm done telling you what happened at my meeting, you can't get angry at me ok? Because I really don't agree with them Adrian."

"Of course Sydney, I won't get angry at you, don't worry," he said.

"They think that… there's an ulterior motive for the attack."

Adrian frowned. "What do you mean?"

"They think that somehow, the attack was planned by either the Moroi or the Dhampir."

"How can they think that? Why would we do that to our own people? We would never do such a thing Sydney!" Adrian said and let out a small growl. "Why would they think that?"

"I don't know Adrian, I'm telling you what I know. Please don't get angry Adrian."

He sighed and rubbed his head. "I'm sorry. I'm not angry at you Sage. Is that all that you have to tell me? Please tell me that's all Sage," he whispered.

"There's more," Sydney said and looked down at her hands as her voice grew quiet. "It's about my sister, Carly."

Adrian's face softened and started to reach for hand, thought better of it, and pulled it back.

"They said that she escaped from the building with a Moroi. The Moroi and her had a chance of living but they were caught by Strigoi at the last minute. The Moroi's name was Ivan Zeklos."

Adrian stopped breathing. "Ivan?" he whispered.

Sydney nodded. "I thought you'd want to know that he had a chance of living."

Adrian sighed. "Thanks, I just miss him you know?"

"There's one more thing," Sydney said. "I need to ask you a question."

"I'll try my best to answer it," he said.

"Were there any Ivashkov's at the building during the attack?"

"No, none to my knowledge why?"

Sydney grew quiet.

"They said that we were there didn't they?'

She nodded. "Yes, they did. Can we talk about other stuff now Adrian? You specialize in Spirit right?"

He nodded. "Yeah, you alchemists are doing research on Spirit aren't you? Are you going to turn me in as a lab rat or something?"

Sydney shook her head. "Of course not, I would never do such a thing. What we talk about always stays secret. I never release any information from what you tell me to the Alchemists. I was just curious about what it is but it doesn't matter. You can tell me about Spirit whenever you want."

He smiled and Sydney felt like melting under those emerald green eyes. "Ok Sage. I'll tell you one day. So did you like my paintings?"

Sydney laughed as she remembered the incident with her mother. "Yeah, I loved them. My mother liked them to."

He raised an eyebrow. "Really? Did you tell her that you got it from a Moroi?"

"No, I made up a name on the spot."

"Oh, and what might be that name?" he asked.

Sydney giggled and looked down at her hands. "Jet Steel."

"What?" Adrian said as Sydney laughed. Sydney looked up at him smiling as she took in his shocked face. "How could you have come up with that name?"

"Well my lamp was made of steel and there was a cleaning solution on my drawer that had the name Jet in it. Hence the name, Jet Steel."

"Well your Jet Steel is a lousy name. My name Jet Steele is much better than yours."

"What do you mean, it's the same name," Sydney said confused.

"How do you spell the last name?"

"S-t-e-e-l?"

"Well my last name ends with an e, mine is more bad sounding than yours. Just listen to it, Jet Steele, Jet Steele the great, Jet Steele the hot biker, oh my god it's Jet Steele!" Adrian said batting his eyelashes. "It's much better sounding than _Jet Steel_."

Sydney shook her head at him and took a nice long sip from her water. This was going to be a long night.

**Present Day July 4****th**** 2013 2:09 A.M**

"Jillian?" Eddie says as he walks into her small room. "What are you doing still up?"

Jill looks away from his warm hazel eyes and looks down at her hands. "I'm checking up on Adrian."

Eddie sighs and walks over to the small bed that the two made with a large comforter and two pillows. There are no blankets to wrap themselves with and Eddie always sacrifices his jackets for Jill and the two end up sharing it after Jill's hour long protests. Eddie sits down next to her and pulls her into his arms.

"You need to sleep Jill, we have to be ready if anything happens."

"Then why aren't you sleeping?"

"I'm keeping guard. I'm doing my job."

"I don't like your job," Jill says as she leans into his chest.

"I like my job," he whispers into her hair. "I get to watch you every day."

She blushes and sighs. "I'm scared for Adrian. I just want to go to with him and the others but I'm stuck here in the attic of some old Moroi woman's house."

"A nice old Moroi woman," Eddie says.

Jill rolls her eyes and lays her head down on Eddie's lap as he runs his hands through her hair. "I just want Sydney back and for all this fighting to end Eddie. Why can't things go back to the way they were?"

"The world's changing Jill, and it's changing for the bad. All we can do is hang on to what's left and fight for those we love."

**Hey guys! How was it? Where exactly are Jill and Eddie? I know Sydney's all giggly and stuff and she's going to be a little OOC. Review and you'll hear from our beloved Adrian in the next chapter! **_**Reviews are appreciated! **_

**For those who read my Bloodlines one shots... Do you guys have any prompts? I'm running out and I really want to update :)**


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